Spinning mule



April 28, 1959 A. KRAUSE- SPINNING MULE 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed April l0, 1955 k ..L QT ml 9,. l@ i k J N,` Il u E I.. C h HL A. KRAUSE April 28, 1959 SPINING MULE Filed April 10. 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet` 2 April 2s, 1959 y ACKRAUSE 2,883,823

SPINNING MULE Filed April 10, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 28, 1959 A. KRAUsE 2,883,823

` v SPINNING 'MULE Filed April l0, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent O SPINNING MULE August Krause, Kiel, Germany, assignor to Mak, Ma-

schinenbau Kiel Aktiengesellschaft, Kiel-Friedrichsort, Germany Application April 10, 1953, Serial No. 347,938

Claims priority, applicaon Germany April 24, 1952 27 Claims. (Cl. 57-40) from the stationary members to the carriage is ordinarily transferred by means of bands. The spindles disposed at the carriage are also band-driven. The drawing-up and the back shaft scrolls of the known mules coact with the bands, and control of carriage movement is eiected by crossed bands.

It has already been proposed to provide infinitely variable gearing on the headstock for driving and to provide infinitely variable speed for the spindles. Also attempts to provide several driving motors with Ward-Leonard control have been made in order to simplify the selfactor mule and its drive.

The known carriage driving mechanism and the trans- :Eer of movement by bands has noticeable disadvantages. The wear and tear of the driving bands and their difierences of elongation will cause jamming. An incorrect setting of the driving bands may result in serious damage to the entire driving mechanism. Even if the band drive is in a satisfactory condition the transfer of power from the stationary driving members to the movable carriage is too uncertain and involves great losses in friction. The customary rectilinear movement of the carriage by crossed bands has the disadvantage that it will deform the carriage, making it necessary to provide it with transverse stjjening pieces or the like in order to maintain its shape. Due to the rigid connection of the carriage driving mechanism with the headstock it is necessary to uncouple the members exactly in 'their iinal position causing a great amount of wear to the coupling material and, in case of too late an uncoupling operation, entailing the danger of breakage.

The Ward-Leonard control involves great consumption of electrical energy without giving absolutely exact control. Further attempts have been made to obtain a stabilized carriage movement by gearing, but always a headstock was needed from which the drive had to be transferred to the carriage.

To eliminate all these disadvantages it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-actor mule for spinning yarns of all kinds which requires but simple maintenance and attendance, and wherein the headstock, the winding stock, and all band drives are eliminated. The various movements are always in synchronism. All driving and control members of the self-actor mule are assembled in the square of the carriage and from the centrally-disposed driving members there are derived the carriage movement, the rotation of the spindles, and the movements of the winding and counter fallers. The stationary delivery unit is controlled by the carriage, so that the roving delivery always corresponds to the outward run of the carriage. All functions such as twist constant, spindle speed, winding speed, backing-off speed, and

ICC

speed of run-out of the carriage, as well as the follow-on switching, winding-on, and unwinding operations can be infinitely variably controlled fromthe movable carriage square. All parts of the gear are housed in a pressurelubricated gear box and control is effected by disc cams which can be regulated from outside. Drive of the toand-fro moving carriage and its parallel guiding is effected by sprocket wheels in mesh with roller chains stretched on the oor..

Another object of the present invention is to position all spindles in a housing extending the whole length of Ithe carriage, in which housing are also provided the driving shafts for the spindles, and the square of said carriage comprises three gearing units; that is, a control gear for the movement of carriage, a control gear for the various spindle speeds, and a control and regulating gear for the speed of disc cams, which disc cams are provided with elements for the run-out of carriage, for backing-off, and' for the drawing-up of carriage, and whereby adjusting organs make infinitely variable adjustment possible.

Other objects and features which I believe to be characteristic fof my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization, manner of construction, and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying schematic drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a self-actor mule;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a layout of the drive for the lvarious movements in the carriage square;

Fig. 4 is a layout of the control members for the movement of carriage;

Fig. 5 is a layout of the operation of the counter fallers;

Fig.I 6 is a layout of the operation of the winding fallers; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are layouts of the spindle speed control members.

In Fig. l, spindles 1 are distributed along the entire length of a carriage, including the square thereof. In a gear box 2 is provided a gear unit for the spindles which `gear unit may be constructed as band, string, or wheel gearing. All control and driving members are mounted in the square of the carriage; the control members in a front box 3, and the driving members in a rear box 4. The carriage is composed of various sections the lengths of which are equal to the gauge of carriage rails 5. At the various joints transverse stiifening pieces 6, as shown in Fig. 2, are disposed adapted to carry travelling wheels 7. A driving shaft 8 for the movement of the carriage also is journalled in the transverse stiffening pieces 6 and carries ldriving wheels 9. At the side of driving wheels 9 sprocket wheels 10 are mounted which engage the links of roller chains 11 stretched on the floor and disposed parallel to carriage rails 5. This arrangement ensures synchronism of the rotation of all driving wheels 9 and a vibration-free stabilized parallel displacement of the carriage. All operating and control members are mounted in fthe carriage square; the headstock and the winding stock provided in former embodiments are eliminated.

The delivery unit comprising supports 12 and a cylinder mechanism is disposed as usual Iand mounted on the floor. The cylinder mechanism can be constructed with either one or two bottom cylinders 13 and press rollers 14. Lap rollers 15 4and their drive are executed in known manner. The drive of the delivery unit is new (Fig. 2). This drive is executed by the movement of the carriage, resulting in perfect synchronous speed of the cylinder unit with the speed of the carriage at any given time. An electromagnetic coupling 16 with its magnetic part is rigidly mounted to the end of the carriage. The rotating armature of the coupling is provided with 'a sprocket wheel 17 engaging with the links of a roller chain 18 which engages with a sprocket wheel 19 mounted on the floor or upon a lateral protective frame, and also with a sprocket wheel 20 from which sprocket Wheel 20 the cylinder unit is driven by means of a roller chain 21. The setting of the cylinder draft by change gears or control gearing is not shown in the drawing. When the carriage is in motion with its coupling disengaged, sprocket wheel 17 merely engages with roller chain 18. When the coupling is closed, however, sprocket wheel 17 is `arrested because it is coupled with the stationary magnetic part of coupling 16. When the carriage is in motion sprocket wheel 17 engages with roller chain 18 and drives the delivery unit according to the speed of the carriage. This arrangement functions with such precision that the leading couplings in use hitherto can be eliminated.

The coupling is actuated by contact control derived from a function of the carriage movement. In Fig. 2, illustrating the drawing-up of carriage, a stop 22 is provided which engages coupling 16 by means of switch 23, whereas an adjustable stop 24 disengages the coupling again after delivery. Moving stop 24 in the direction of the delivery unit results in carriage draft; i.e., in a further drawing-out of the spinning material while the carriage is still running-out without cylinder delivery. Instead of an electric coupling any other pawl coupling on a purely mechanical basis may be employed.

Fig. 3 shows the drive for the various movements Within the carriage square. Three control gears are provided; viz., a control gear 25 for the carriage movement, a control gear 26 for the various spindle speeds, and a regulating and control gear 27 for the speed of a set of disc cams governing the play of the carriage. The expression "play of the carriage is intended to designate the to and fro travel or movement of the carriage so that one play of the carriage would correspond to a complete working cycle of the carriage, i.e. a to and fro traveling movement of the carriage. These three gears 25, 26, and 27 can be driven by a common motor 28 by means of belt mechanisms 29 and 30. But it is also possible, `as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, to have each gear driven vby an individual motor. Furthermore, it is also possible .to .provide a vdouble-motor drive by having one gear unit operated by `an individual motor, and any tWo gear units as a group by the second motor. Movement yof carriagecontrol gear 25 drives the `carriage shaft 8 which extends Valong the entire length of the carriage (for reasons of representation only shown at one end) by means of bevel gears 31 `and 32. Upon this carriage shaft '8 are mounted the driving wheels 9 and the sprocket wheels 10, which latter engage with the Ilinks of the chains 11 stretched parallel to the longitudinal rails 5. At the same time the rotatory movement of carriage shaft 8 is transferred to a shaft 35 by means of a worm 33 and a Worm wheel 34. To shaft 35 are mounted successively; a control disc cam 36, a control disc cam 37, a control disc cam 38 for the carriage movement, an electromagnetic switch coupling 39, a follow-on disc cam 40 for advancing the Winding faller shaft, `a follow-on disc cam 41 for backing-off, a cop-starting disc cam 42, and a ,handle 43. The operation of this arrangement will be described below.

The control gears 25, 26 and 27 are infinitely variable liquid gears `and lare well -known in several structural embodiments thereof. Such gears `are in fact infinitely variable radial plunger pumps and are not of themselves a novel feature of the invention.

The control gear 26 .drives a spindle driving shaft 46 by means of bevel gears 44 and 45. The driving shaft 46 `also extends along the entire length of the carriage but is in Fig. 3, for reasons of representation, only shown at the right end. The spindles 1 can be driven in a known manner by bands, strings, or gears, not shown in the drawing. Spindle driving shaft 46 drives a shaft 49 by means of a worm 47 and a worm wheel 48. Upon shaft 49 'are mounted the following parts: -an electromagnetic switch coupling 50; a disc cam switch 51; carriage receding disc cam 52; and a tension spring 53.

The regulating and control gear 27 drives the following control disc cams by means of an electromagnetic switch coupling 54 and `a disc cam switch 55; a disc cam 56 for the movement of the carriage; a disc cam 57 for the movement of a counter faller 5S, which is kept in upward position by a weight 59; a disc cam 60 for a Winding faller 61, which is kept in upward position by tension springs 113; a disc cam 63 for the spindle speed; `and ya slide 129 which regulates the variable winding-on spindle speeds at the beginning of cop building. A complete turn of these disc cams 56, 57, 60, 63, and slide 129 equals the periods and evolutions to form a stretch. By operating a change lever of regulating and control gear 27 the stretch period can be set. The disc cams 56, 57, 60, 63, `and slide 129 being rigidly secured to their common shaft, a displacement of the various control operations with respect to one vanother is impossible.

Movement of the carriage is shown in Fig. 4. The disc cam 56 for movement of the carriage turns clockwise, as indicated by arrow 66, and is subdivided into the following angle sectors: a for the run-out of carriage; sector b for backing-off; and sector c for the drawing-up of carriage. The carriage being at rest during backingoi operation the peripheral part of the cam included by angle b is a concentric arc of a circle. Disc cam 56 is in operative engagement with a contact roller 68 mounted on a lever 67 which is pivotally mounted at 69 Iand provided at its free end with a guide roll-er 70.

The control disc cam 38 for the movement of the carriage is, as described above, connected to the carriage driving shaft 8 by means of toothed wheel gearing, Vand for this reason executes, the same as the to-and-fro moving carriage, a large turning motion to the right or left, respectively, about angle d in accordance with the gear ratio employed. Within angle d, the size of which is a measure for the distance travelled over by the carriage, the curve rises in the form of the Spiral of Archimedes. The control disc cam 38, by means of a contact roller 78, also acts upon a lever 71 which is pivotally mounted at 72 and the free end of which is provided with a guide roller 73. The control gear 25 is governed by a control lroller 74 which is pulled by a special helical spring '7,5

into nal position of the regulating range. A traction member 76 in the form of a flyer chain, steel tape, or the like is attached to control roller 74 and, after being led around guide roller 73 of lever 71, an additional guide roller 77, and guide roller of lever 67, is finally attached to a set screw 79.

Control of a normal movement of the carriage is -as follows: as illustrated in the drawing relating to the position of the disc cams and levers, control roller 74 of control gear 25 is in neutral position, i.e., in off-position, and the gear unit is at rest. If now disc cam 56 for the movement of the carriage is turned in the direction of `arrow 66 the lever 67 rises, the rise of the cam becomes less, a corresponding length of the traction chain is released, control roller 74 is turned in the direction of the power exerted by helical spring 75, and control gear 25 is set to a xed release speed in accordance with the released length of chain. The carriage driving shaft 8 and thus the carriage itself moves, but control disc cam 38 also moves counter clockwise until the chainrelease initiated by the disc cam 56 for the movement of the carriage is again released by lever 71. This means that the release speed of the control gear 25 again is zero. It is, therefore, nothing but a control of carriage travel; i.e., the rise of the cam is at any time a measure for the distance of carriage travel. Coaction of both curves limits and controls the distance of the carriage travel. By turning set screw 79 the travel of the carriage as a whole can be adjusted at will with respect to the distance from the delivery unit. In such cases where a big twisting at the head is employed the return movement of the carriage has to set-in which allows the carriage to run-in a certain length in accordance with the reduction of the yarn. This operation is as follows:

In the case of twisting at the head the disc cani 56 for the movement of carriage is at rest; instead, carriage receding disc cam 52 turns in accordance with the spindle speed. This carriage receding disc cam 52 is provided with an adjustable sector part 80 which after the turning of the carriage receding disc cam 52, presses against a roller 81 of a lever 83 which is pivotally mounted at 82. Roller 81 also presses against traction member 76 and shortens the same proportionally to the required length of the ground covered by the receding carriage. The time of initiating the receding of the carriage can be set at will by means of curved slots in carriage receding disc cam 52. The distance of the receding of the carriage can be adjusted at will by pulling out `the sector part 80 through a straight slot as far as is thought suitable.

Fig. shows the operation of the counter faller. Disc cam 57 for the movement of the counter faller, the same as disc cam 56 for the movement of carriage, is sub-divided into sector a for the run-out of carriage, sector b for the backing-off operation, and sector c for the drawing-up of carriage. A roller 84 of a lever 86 pivotally mounted at 85 is in operative engagement with disc cam 57. One end of a traction chain 87 is secured to a set screw 88, then led around a special roller 89, a roller 90 of a lever 86, and attached to a sector part 91 connected with a counter faller shaft 92. To this shaft 92 is mounted counter faller 58 holding the counter faller wire 93. To weight levers 94, mounted at the opposite side, counter weights 59 are mounted. By turning the set screw 88 the position of counter faller wire 93 can be set at will. The task of disc cam 57, which turns clockwise as indicated by arrow 95, consists in keeping the counter faller downward in sector a, i.e., during the run-out of the carriage despite the counter weights, and to release the faller only during the drawing-up of the carriage for winding on the yarn.

Fig. 6 shows the operation of the winding faller. Disc cam 60 for the winding-on operation turns clockwise as indicated by arrow 96, and is sub-divided into angular sectors a for the run-out of the carriage, b for the backing-oi operation, and c for the drawing-up of the carriage. In the run-out range the winding faller 61 is released into an upward position, during the backing-off operation moved downward, and during the drawing-up of the carriage the finished length of yarn is led in such a way by the winding taller wire 97 that the windings result in layers and crossed parts. Disc cam 60 for the winding-on operation operatively engages a contact roller 98 of a lever 100 pivotally mounted at 99. The free end of lever 100 is provided with a guide roller 101. Follow-on disc cam 40 for winding-on is during each carriage play turned jerkwise and clockwise in the direction of arrow 102 by the automatic advance later to be described. The continuous rise of the winding faller wire 97 is obtained within angular range e. This rise corresponds to the increase of cop building and is obtained by the curve in the form of a Spiral of Archimedes, which contains the necessary corrective characteristic to compensate for the detiections of the winding faller movements due to the circular movement of same. Underwinding the upward winding-on movement takes place within angle range f when the roller is returned from the lower part of the cam along the straight part within range f to the highest point of the curve. A lever 105 pivotally mounted at 106 carries a guide roller 107 at its free end and a contact roller 104 intermediate its ends.

This contact roller 104 engages the disc cam 40. Attached to a set screw 108 is a traction chain 109 which is led around a guide roller 101, a fixed guide roller 110, the second guide roller 107, and secured to a sector part 111 which is mounted to a winding faller shaft 112. By means of a lever 114 the winding faller 61 is pulled upwards by a tension spring 113. If the length of traction chain 109 is changed by turning set screw 108 the height of winding faller wire 97 is set at the same time. During the run-out of the carriage within angle range a of disc cam 60, winding faller 61 is released in an upward position. It is pulled down only within range c of the disc cam 60. Because of the continuous advance of follow-on disc cam 40 in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 102, more and more length of the traction chain 109 is released, i.e., in accordance with cop building the winding faller wire 97 rises.

Control of spindle speed as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is pure speed control. Disc cam 63 for spindle speed control also comprises three angles; a for the run-out of the carriage; b for backing-oil; and c for the drawing-up of the carriage. The cam turns clockwise in the direction of arrow 115. Within range a spinning starts with the carriage running out and a continuously increasing speed of spindles 1: i.e., the diameter of the cam increases continuously. In view of the different material to be spun it is necessary that the amount and the beginning of the speed increase is adjustable. This can be done by one or several profiled pieces 116 which can be adjusted at will on disc cam 63 by means of, say, screws 150 passing through suitable slots. Within range b the spindle speed is braked, and the reverse movement of the spindles sets-in for initiating the winding-on speed which during drawing-up of the carriage is regulated within range c. A roller 117 of a lever 118 is in operative contact with fdisc cam 63 and with the adjustable proled piece 116. Lever 118 is pivotally mounted at 119 and is provided with a guide roller 120 at its free end. A secondary arm 121 with a roller 122 is attached to the lever 118.

A traction member 124 in the form of a tlyer chain or the like is attached to a set screw 123. It passes around guide rollers 125 and 120 and is woun-d about a control roller 126 of control gear 26. This control roller 126 is pulled toward an end position of its control way by a helical spring 127 and stretches the ilyer chain 124. On further turning of disc cam 63, lever 118 is pressed downward, the length of the chain increases, control roller 126 turns contrary to the action of spring 127, and thus the release speed of control gear 26 increases. By further turning of the disc cam the chain is under less'tension, control roller 126 is turned back by the action of spring 127, the spindle speed is reduced and, during backing-o the reverse motion of the spindles passes even beyond the zero point and changes into the opposite direction of rotation of the spindles.V In turning set screw 123 the point of attack of flyer chain 124 is displaced on control roller 126, whereby the zero point of control gear 26 is displaced with respect to the position of lever 118. By this means, infinitely variable control of the winding-0n speed is possible. Itis known that the retrograde speed of the spindles will have to decrease with increasing cop length. This condition is met by follow-on disc cam 41 for backing-off, the same as follow-on disc cam 40 for the winding faller, being slowly advanced clockwise as indicated by arrow 128. Within angle range e of disc cam 41, which is equal to the cop length, the curve has a rising tendency. Lever 118 coming into operative contact with backing-oil sector b islimited in its movement downwards by roller 122 of lever 121 first engaging disc cam 41. The greater the length of copbuilding the more quickly roller 122 engages with the disc cam 41 because its curve radius increases with the progressive advance of the disc cam. Because of this the retrograde speed becomes constantly less. The return of the follow-on :disc cam 41 for back-- aseasaa ing-off to its starting point for underwinding for the new beginning of the cop is by Way of the straight working surface within angle range f.

Fig. 8 shows additional equipment for the start of cop building. At the beginning the diameter of the bobbin continually increases from tube diameter to complete building-up; i.e., the winding-on speed must be increased in order to wind the length of yarn according to the travel of carriage. For this reason one surface of spindle disc cam 63 is provided with a special slide 129 which is moveable within two guide bars 130 and 131 in the direction of a two-pointed arrow 132. Slide 129 is provided with a slot 133 wherein is mounted a compression spring 134 which is supported by a base 135 mounted upon disc cam 63, which base presses the slide upwards against a roller 136. At this point the slide has the form of a concentric arc of a circle. Its lower curve overlaps the cam curve, situated behind the slide and drawn in dotted lines, for the normal winding-on speed of the spindles in the cylindrical part of the cop. The size of overlapping the winding-on curve of slide 129 is a measure for the increase of spindle speed during winding-on operation. During the beginning of cop building the overlapping part progressively recedes until at the beginning of the cylindrical cop part it has reached such a point that roller 117 of lever 118 runs solely along the curve of cam 63.

Automatic control of the slide movement is by followon disc cam 42 for the beginning of the cop which, the same as disc cams 4) and 41, is advanced clockwise as indicated by arrow 137. Sector range h=eg equals the length of the cylindrical cop part. Range f again is the reversing part for the new cop building during underwinding. Angle g is the curve for the building of the cop. At the start of cop building the curve has reached its maximum point, i.e., roller 13S of a double lever 139, which is pivotally mounted at 140, has risen to its highest point. In this position the roller 136 is at its lowest point; i.e., in turning disc cam 63 the slide 129 is pressed down to its lowest point when its concentric top part is in operative engagement with roller 136. During the increase of cop building the rise of the curve of follow-on disc cam 42 decreases when turned in the direction of arrow 137, so that slide 129 is pressed down less and less until it is no longer actuated within angle range hze-g and roller 117 of lever 118 is only at rest on the normal curve of disc cam 63.

Operation of the entire machine (Fig. 3) is as follows: The start is the drawing-up of the carriage. The desired number of the plays of the carriage is set by a lever 65 of regulating and control lgear 27, and switch coupling 54 is closed by a switch contact 141. When the driving motor 28 is switched on by a master switch 142, control gears 25, 26, and regulating and control gear 27, as well as disc cams 56, 57, 60, 63, and slide 129 start turning. Disc cam 56 starts the movement of the carriage in the manner previously described, also disc cam 57 for the counter faller, disc cam 60 for the winding taller, and disc cam 63 and slide 129 for spindle control. After the run-out of the carriage is completed the interrupting contact 141 is opened by disc cam switch 55, the current supply to switch coupling 54 is interrupted, the switch coupling opens, and disc cams 56, 57, 60, 63, and slide 129 stop operation. The carriage also stops in its run-out position, whereas the spindles continue turning at maximum speed in accordance with the setting of sector part 116 mounted upon disc cam 63. This causes shaft 49 with the switched-on coupling 51B also to turn until the disc cam switch 51 opens contact .pieces 144 and closes contact pieces 143. This results in switch coupling 5,0 being without current, the armature of which together with disc cam switch 51 of the carriage receding disc cam 52, are turned back into their starting positions by tension spring 53. The closing of contact pieces 143, however, will result in again connecting switch coupling 54, in again advancing disc cams 56, 57, 60, 63, and slide 129, and in starting the subsequent spinning operations such as backing-off and winding-on the yarn. Disc cam switch 51 is adjustable, i.e., the moment of switching contact pieces 143 and 144 must be Xed as a function of spindle speed.

This makes it possible to set the twist constant necessary for spinning by simple contact displacement. A play of the carriage is now as follows:

During the run-out of the carriage the disc cams turn until the run-out is completed, thereupon switch coupling 54 disengages itself, and the disc cams will stop turning. During the period of twisting at the head the adjustable disc cam switch 51 turns until switch coupling 50 becomes disengaged and shaft 147 is turned back into its original position by tension spring 53. At the same time switch coupling 54 is connected again, disc cams 56, 57, 66, 63, and slide 129 control the backing-off operation and the drawing-up of the carriage with the winding-on of the spun yarn. Parallel to this operation is the ad- Vance of follow-on disc cams 40, 41, and 42. As already described above, shaft 35 with control disc cam 38 turns back and forth in accordance with the carriage movement. Switch coupling 39 is normally disengaged so that follow-on disc cams 4d, 41, 42, and handle 43 do not participate in this movement. The follow-on disc cams 40, 41, and 42 must now be advanced by a definite angle of rotation, so that during each play of the carriage, with increasing length of cop, the position of winding faller wire 97, the retrograde backing-oir of spindles 1, andin forming the building of cop-the continuous decrease of the winding faller speed of spindles 1 can be changed. Switch coupling 39 operates follow-on disc cams 40, 41, and 42. The size of the advance is effected in a simple and infinitely variable manner by two contact pairs 145 and 146. These tWo pairs, controlled by the adjustable disc cams 36 and 37, determine the period of advancing the cams by means of switch coupling 39.

Both disc cams 36, 37 are adjustable with respect to each other and are able to open and close at different moments. During the moment when both contact pairs 145 and 146, respectively, are simultaneously closed the supply of current is also cut off, the switch coupling 39 connected, and follow-on disc cams 40, 41, and 42 advanced. Switch coupling 39 being disconnected handle 43 makes it possible to correct this advance by hand.

Instead of electromagnetic switch couplings 39, 50, and 54, mechanical couplings, follow-on pawl-coupling appliances, and the like may be used.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and using, and the many advantages of my invention, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. It will further be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed, without `departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Driving and control means for a self actor mule for spinning yarns of all kinds, comprising a generally rectangular carriage, a longitudinal row of spindles mounted on said carriage, a common spindle shaft operatively connected to said spindles, drivingr and control means mounted on said carriage for controlling the movements of said carriage and said spindles, said driving and control means including a common power source, a rst control gear and a set of follow-on disc cams operatively connected by `a first electromagnetic switch coupling to said gear for connecting said gear to said carriage so as to control the movements thereof, a second control gear for spindle speed and a second shaft in operative engagement with said spindle driving shaft through the medium of a second electromagnetic switch coupling, electric contact switch means for said second switch coupling, a carriage receding disc cam, and a disc cam assenza switch in operative engagementl with said carriage receding disc cam, a third control gear for regulating and setting the play of the said carriage and a disc cam with a movable slide both of which are operatively connected to said second gear for controlling the speed of the said spindle shaft and the said spindles, a winding faller and a disc cam for controlling the movements thereof, a counter faller and a disc cam for controlling the movements thereof, a change lever for adjusting said third control gear, another disc cam for the movement of the carriage, a third electromagnetic switch coupling operatively connecting said third control gear with the disc cams thereof, said first control gear and said second control gear having each a power-transmitting means consisting of bevel gears, a carriage driving shaft extending alongthe entire length of the said carriage and connected to the bevel gears of the rst control gear, carriage rails, sprocket wheels evenly distributed on the said driving shaft and adapted to engage with traction members disposed alongside said carriage rails, the set of follow-on disc cams being driven by said carriage driving shaft and adapted to govern the diiferent values for cop building, adjustable electrical contact pieces for switching said rst electromagnetic switch coupling, and another control disc cam adapted to control the travel of the carriage.

2. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, together with an interrupting Contact for opening the electromagnetic switch coupling of the third mentioned regulating and control gear at the end of the run-out of the carriage causing the disc cams of said third mentioned gear to be at rest until after completion of the twisting, and contact pieces governed by the carriage receding disc cam of the control gear for spindle speed for again closing said electromagnetic switch coupling.

3. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive for the carriage receding disc cam of the control gear for spindle speed is eiected by means of the second electromagnetic switch coupling which at the start of twisting is switched-in by means of electric contact pieces, said electromagnetic switch coupling moving its shaft, being subsequently interrupted -by said contact pieces and, after termination of the twisting operation, switching oi its shaft enabling said shaft to be turned back into its starting position by a tension spring.

4. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the carriage receding disc cam is provided with an adjustable sector part which by means of slots is regulatably disposed on the circumference of said carriage receding disc cam and adapted to regulate the drive, the setting of the return movement of the carriage, and its speed.

5. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the disc cam switch of the carriage receding disc cam is provided with contact pieces adapted to adjust the twist constant, and to close the switch coupling of the third mentioned regulating and control gear when the backing-off operation is to be initiated.

6. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the diierent values for cop building are controlled by the follow-on disc cams which are mounted upon a common shaft operatively engaged with the carriage driving shaft, and are advanced by a predetermined distance for each play of carriage.

7. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the follow-on disc cams are advanced by the rotation of the 'carriage driving shaft through the intermediary of the rst electromagnetic switch coupling which during a rotation of said carriage driving shaft is switched on by the adjustable electrical contact pieces about a predetermined settable rotating angle, thereby advancing said follow-on disc cams.

8. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the electrical contact pieces for switching the irst electromagnetic switch coupling are adjustable in such a way that said electromagnetic switch coupling is closed at a turning point of the carriage movement, the switching period of one direction of rotation deviating from the switching period of the other direction of rotation by a small value resulting, in consequence of the algebraic sum of both directions of rotation, in a minimal value of the traversed distance without the switching inertia of the electromagnetic switch coupling having a noticeable eifect.

9. A self-actor mule `as claimed in claim l, wherein a crank is provided at the free end of the shaft common to the three follow-on disc cams adapted to manually adjust said follow-on disc cams in case the iirst electromagnetic switch coupling has been disconnected.

10. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control disc cam for travel of the carriage is driven by the carriage driving shaft through the intermediary of gearing, the rise of said control disc cam being at any time equal to the ground covered by the travel of the carriage.

1l. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the travel of the carriage is controlled by two disc cams by means of a traction member, one of said disc cams being mounted on the shaft of the third mentioned regulating and control gear, and the other disc cam being mounted on the shaft of the rst control gear, the disc cam of the third mentioned regulating and control gear being in continuous rotation and its rise of curve corresponding to the required travel of the carriage, and the disc cam of the rst control gear being rotatable back and forth in accordance with the to-and-fro moving carriage.

l2. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1l, wherein the traction member for control of the travel of the carriage consists of a chain which is led around a guide roller secured to a lever in engagement with the disc cam of the third mentioned regulating and control gear, and around a guide roller secured to a lever in engagement with the disc cam of the iirst control gear, causing said traction member to become longer or shorter, respectively, according to the curves of said two disc cams, thereby introducing a displacement of a control roller of the first control gear.

13. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 11, wherein a set screw Ais provided adapted to be secured to the free end of the traction member for control of carriage travel, the length of said traction member being adjustable thereby and the position of movement of the carriage with respect to its distance from the delivering unit being alterable.

14. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l1, wherein a helical spring, attached to a control roller of the iirst control gear pulls said control roller into an end position, the position of said control roller being determined at any time solely -by the length of the traction member.

15. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim ll, wherein an adjustable sector part is mounted on the carriage receding disc cam and actuates a lever in engagement with the disc cam for the movement of the carriage, thereby causing the length of the traction member for the control of the travel of the carriage to be reduced and the length of ground covered by the receding carriage determined.

16. A self-actor mule as -claimed in claim l, wherein the counter faller is kept in position and released, respectively, by means of the disc cam for controlling the movement thereof, said disc cam turning 360 for a play of the carriage, and a traction chain, led around a lever and in engagement with said disc cam, actuates a sector part mounted upon the counter faller shaft, said chain acting contrary to weights attached to said counter faller shaft.

17. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 16, wherein a set screw is secured to the free end of the traction chain for control of a counter faller wire, said set screw making it possible to set the length of the traction chain and thus the height of the counter faller wire.

18. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, wherein lill a Winding faller wire is controlled by a disc cam of the third mentioned regulating and control gear, and by one of the follow-on disc cams, both in operative engagement with each other, of which the disc cam driven in synchronism with the play of the carriage, actuates the movements for the crossing and layers of yarn, and the followon disc cam, turning in synchronism with the advance of said winding faller wire, continuously releases said Winding faller wire in an upward direction, in accordance with the increase of cop building.

19. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the winding faller movement, controlled by a disc cam of the third mentioned regulating and control gear and one of the follow-on disc cams, is transferred by a traction chain which is led around a lever, in engagement with said disc cam, and around another lever in engagement with the follow-on disc cam, to a sector part mounted upon a winding faller shaft, said chain acting against the force of a spring.

20. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 19, wherein a set screw is secured to the free end of the traction chain for movement of the winding faller, said set screw making it possible to alter the height of a winding faller wire.

2l. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein a yer chain is led around a lever in engagement with the disc cam for spindle speed, said flyer chain being attached to a control roller of the control `gear for spindle speed and influencing said gear and also the spindle speed in accordance with the length of the flyer chain released by said disc cam for spindle speed.

22. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 21, wherein the control roller of the control gear of spindle speed is pulled into an end position by a helical spring and the required control roller setting is solely determined by the released length of the yer chain at any given time.

23. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, wherein a movable slide is attached to the disc cam for spindle speed, which slide exceeds the normal curve in the winding-on part of said disc cam and is adapted to attain greater spindel speeds for winding-on during drawing-up of the carriage at the beginning of the cop.

24. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim l, wherein the drive of a delivery unit is effected by the moving carriage through the intermediary of a sprocket wheel engaging with a roller chain, said sprocket wheel being arrested during the run-out of the carriage, thus taking along said roller chain and said delivery unit, the sprocket wheel being released during drawing-up of the carriage and simply rolling along on said roller chain.

25. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 24, wherein the carriage is provided with an electromagnetic switch coupling adapted to keep the sprocket wheel in active engagement with the roller chain, said electromagnetic switch coupling being closed and opened, respectively, by electric switch contacts.

26. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 24, wherein the carriage draft is limited by an adjustable stop which opens the electromagnetic switch coupling, mounted on the carriage, prior to the completion of the run-out of the carriage, thereby further stopping the delivery of rovmg.

27. A self-actor mule as claimed in claim 1, wherein electric regulating motors are provided for the movement of the carriage, the rotation of the spindle, and the rotation of the regulating and control gear for setting the play of the carriage.

No references cited. 

